Machines having ground engaging tracks may be used in environments and for purposes where it is desirable to provide the increased traction associated with ground engaging tracks. For example, machines having ground engaging tracks may be used for construction and/or agricultural purposes, which often present the need to travel off-road. Conventional machines having ground engaging tracks include machines such as dozers and excavators, which may generally be powered using an internal combustion engine such as, for example, a compression-ignition engine. Such internal combustion engines may emit undesirable exhaust emissions and other pollutants during operation. In recent years, and for the foreseeable future, the reduction of exhaust emissions for internal combustion engines has become a regulatory priority. Furthermore, increasing the fuel efficiency of machines has also become more important, for example, to reduce increased costs associated with the rising price of fossil fuels and/or the reliance on imported oil.
Driven at least in part by new and future exhaust emissions regulations and a desire to reduce fuel consumption, alternative ways to power machines have been sought. One such alternative relates to the use of powertrains having electric components such as, for example, electric motors, generators, and electronic control systems. Such electric components have been used previously in some vehicle powertrain applications. The use of such electric components, however, in machines having ground engaging tracks may present a number of challenges not associated with the use of such electric components in other types of machines.
An example of a tracked vehicle having internal combustion engines combined with electric motors for propulsion is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,806 (the '806 patent) issued to Wolfgang et al. on Feb. 17, 2004. The '806 patent describes a drive unit for a tracked vehicle having first and second electric generators and first and second internal combustion engines driving the generators to power two pairs of first and second electric motors, with each pair of electric motors for driving a track located on one side of the vehicle. The components are electrically-connected such that if the vehicle, especially a military vehicle, is partially damaged, the vehicle can continue to move.
Although the tracked vehicle of the '806 patent includes a combination of internal combustion engines, generators, and electric motors for movement, the '806 vehicle may not address problems associated with operating machines having ground engaging tracks.
The disclosed exemplary systems and methods for storing and recovering energy associated with a machine having ground engaging tracks may be directed to overcoming one or more of the problems.